Disability Rights UK E-Newsletter 6 August 2018

Disability Rights UK news

Our free newsletter keeps you up to date with the work we do and the work of our members.

Please note: Our next E-news will be Monday 27 August 2018.

DR UK welcomes the new LGA report on adult social care: This Local Government Association 8-week consultation, The lives we want to lead, makes proposals on how adult social care should be funded in future. Sue Bott, Deputy CEO of Disability Rights UK welcomed the report but says that the debate should not be confined to how we pay for social care but also include its purpose. Read more

Our concerns over timetable for moving existing disabled claimants to UC: DR UK was one of the signatories to this letter, sent to Esther McVey MP – “We are writing to raise our concerns regarding the Government’s current proposals for moving disabled people and people with long-term health conditions from legacy benefits onto Universal Credit. This includes disabled people currently receiving Employment and Support Allowance…” Read more

Trustees wanted at Disability Rights UK: We are looking for new Trustees to join our board from January 2019. This year we are particularly looking for people with expertise in finance, fundraising / income generation, marketing and communications – including digital communications. The closing date for applications is Monday 13 August 2018. Read more

Free training on Inclusive Practice – Disability and School Careers Advice, Information and Guidance: Disability Rights UK is offering free one-day training days designed for school careers advisers, coordinators and school careers leaders who wish to develop their understanding of disability equality and enhance their skills to support disabled learners with careers guidance and careers planning. The first training day will take place in London 10-4pm 19 September 2018. Read more

APPG report of its July meeting: On the 16th July the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Disability held its AGM, during which new officers were elected, combined with a meeting on the representation of disabled people in the media. Disability Rights UK provides the Secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Disability. Read report and minutes

Social investment webinar Tuesday 7 August: Disability Rights UK will soon be launching a project to help Disabled People’s Organisations better understand and engage with social investment. The project is being funded by the Barrow Cadbury Charitable Trust, who is jointly hosting a webinar with Big Society Capital and Good Finance, for any organisation which would like to start building up its knowledge and find out about useful social investment tools and resources. The webinar is 9.30 am Tuesday 7th August. You can register your organisation’s interest in the webinar and book a place here

Members, projects and partners

Our Leadership Academy Programme: The Leadership Academy programme (LAP), is a career development programme, designed for the progression of employees with lived experience of disability and/or long term health conditions. It sets out to improve the employment position of employees living with a health condition or disability, whilst providing employers with access to a wider pool of talent. Find out more here or contact Katrina.morris@disabilityrightsuk.org for more information.

DRILL Chronic Illness Project: The Chronic Illness Inclusion Project, a DRILL-funded research project into disability and chronic illness is writing a manifesto for change for people with chronic illness, and wants to hear about the experiences and views of as many people with chronic illness as possible. If you have a long term health condition that substantially affects your day to day life please take the survey here to make sure your voice is added to their manifesto in 2019.

For further information on welfare rights, education issues and social care you will find our factsheets/guides here or for more detailed information you can order a copy of the Disability Rights Handbook from our shop

UNITE Disability Rights Magazine: UNITE covers everything from accessibility and housing to universal credit and mental health campaigns. It has introduced a ‘Know Your Rights’ section that covers a different area each month. Future issues will look at your rights in regards to public transport, discrimination, accessibility and benefits, among many others. Out every month! Find out more

Other news

Future of mobility: call for evidence: This Department for Transport consultation seeks views and evidence to inform government’s work on the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge, including disability considerations. The consultation closes 11:45pm on 10 September 2018. Read more

Your experience of accessibility when using ships wanted: The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the regulatory body for the maritime passenger rights legislation. This legislation provides certain rights as to the assistance that is to be provided to disabled passengers and those of reduced mobility who travel by ship. The MCA, as part of the Inclusive Transport Strategy recently announced by Government, are now conducting a survey to gather information as to general awareness by disabled passengers of their rights and the effectiveness of the assistance provided. The survey closes 31 October 2018. Read more

Driver Only trains ‘toxic’ for disabled passengers: Freedom of information request shows Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) issued warning over two years ago. Rail Sector Champion Stephen Brookes, said: “I am discussing with various operators the impact and their positions on this and will be working with the Department for Transport and the Rail Delivery Group to get the facts right.” Read more

Disabled users have their input on new Greater Anglia trains: A group of disabled rail passengers and professionals has visited Stadler’s Bussnang factory to examine the new fleets being built for Greater Anglia. View article

English Blue Badge scheme to be extended: People with hidden disabilities, including autism and mental health conditions are to be given the right to a Blue Badge.

Evidence Based Interventions Consultation: Take part in the NHS England Evidence Based Interventions Consultation to help ensure interventions are clinically effective. The consultation will run to 28 September 2018. Find out more

Future of mobility: call for evidence: This consultation seeks views and evidence to inform government’s work on the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge – including accessibility and inclusion considerations. Closes 11:45pm on 10 September 2018. Find out more

Call for experiences of Patient Transport in London: Transport for All is looking for evidence from Disabled and older Londoners who use patient transport, following concerns about the eligibility criteria. They have produced a short survey where people can write their experience with arranging patient transport. The deadline to respond is 31 August 2018

Independent Review of the Mental Health Act workshops: The Independent Review of the Mental Health Act will be running three workshops during August 2018to engage with mixed audiences on the review’s thinking so far. The events will run from 9.30am-1pm and will take place in:

Reasonable expenses and adjustments can be provided for those attending in a service user or carer capacity.

Government to continue to fund new oil-fired boilers and boiler replacement: The End Fuel Poverty Coalition recently wrote to BEIS Minister Claire Perry over concerns about its proposals to end support for oil-fired boilers. BEIS have now announced, in their response to the ECO3 consultation, that they will continue to allow new oil boilers to be installed under ECO3. In addition, a 400% uplift will be available to provide support for the replacement of broken boilers (including oil-fired boilers). Read more

MPs inquiry into benefit cap: The Work and Pensions Committee has re-launched its inquiry into the Benefit cap, which was abandoned due to the General Election. Read more

Social media companies and the Government have failed disabled people: A cross-party group of MPs believe that social media companies and the Government have failed disabled users and must act urgently. Read more

New Challenge Fund launched to help disabled people stay in work: Applications are welcome from organisations in any sector across England, Scotland and Wales. The deadline for receipt of Challenge Fund applications is Friday 17th August at 17.00. Find out more

Plexal

Getting to DR UK at Plexel: Free shuttle buses run from Stratford underground, train and bus stations from 7am to 10.30pm.

Free shuttle buses run from Stratford underground, train and bus stations from 7am to 10.30pm. There are two pickup points for the shuttle bus: